[07/19/11 - 11:38 AM]"The Closer" and "Rizzoli & Isles" Shine in Second Week and Live + 3TNT spins the numbers for Monday, July 18.

[via press release from TNT]

TNT Ratings: The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles shine in second week and Live + 3

Last night, TNT's The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles turned in another stunning performance. The Closer opened the night with 6.5 million viewers, 1.4 million adults 18-49 and 2 million adults 25-54 in Live + Same Day, according to fast national data from Nielsen Media Research. Rizzoli & Isles followed with 6.4 million viewers, edging out last week's season premiere by 10,000 viewers. The episode also grew its key demo delivers over last week, with 1.6 million adults 18-49 (+1%) and 2.2 million adults 25-54 (+2%).

TNT's success last night followed on the heels of the outstanding season premieres for The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles last week, both of which have already greatly expanded their audiences through early time-shifted viewing.

The seventh season premiere of The Closer has ballooned to an astonishing 8.7 million viewers in Live + 3 delivery, putting it on track to surpass the final Live + 7 delivery of its summer 2010 premiere (8.8 million). The episode already ranks third among all season premieres of The Closer, coming in behind the premieres for season three (9.5 million) and season six (8.8 million).

Among key adult demos, last week's season premiere of The Closer has scored 2.5 million adults 18-49, already outperforming last year's season premiere and within inches of beating all episodes last year. The Closer is expected to outperform all of last year's episodes with adults 25-54, as well, with a current Live + 3 delivery of 3.2 million.

The second season premiere of Rizzoli & Isles has expanded its audience to 8 million viewers in Live + 3 delivery, +25% over its Live + Same Day delivery. The season premiere's strong demos have grown to 2.1 million among adults 18-49 and 2.8 million adults 25-54. Rizzoli & Isles is in good position to outperform its first-season premiere when final Live + 7 delivery becomes available.